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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOREN J. VVICKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SKATE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,015, dated January 31, 1860.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LoRnN J. Wicks, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements `in Skates; and I do hereby de- Clare the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, representing a perspective view of my improved skate.

My invention relates to making the platform of the skate, upon which the foot rests, to have a movement to conform to the natural spring or movement of the foot of the person using it, and it consists in attaching the platform to the rigid runner of the skate by two studs or standards, one of which is permanently pivoted to the runner and the other working in a slotted aperture in the runner to allow of the working of the platform as hereinafter described, and in combining with these studs a platform jointed or hinged together at or about the center of its length to allow it to follow the natural movement or spring of the foot.

A is the runner of the skate, made of any of the rigid forms that now are or may hereafter be used.

B is the platform, which may be secured.

either to a boot or shoe between the outer and inner sole thereof, or be held in Contact with the boot or shoe by being screwed fast to the outside of the sole of the same, or may be so constructed as to allow of its being secured to the foot of the wearer by straps in the ordinary manner, and which is jointed or hinged together at or near the center of its length to allow it to spring to follow the natural spring or movement of the foot of the wearer, and is secured to the runner A by the studs or standards C, C, the first of which is permanently pivoted at its lower end to the runner, and the other secured to the runner by a pin in it working in a slotted aperture in the runner to allow it to move back and forth as the center of the platform is elevated or depressed by the spring of the foot.

The objection to the rigid platform of skates as now used is that the foot of the person using it is bound rigidly and firmly to it, thereby preventing the natural spring or movement of the foot, and stopping or checking the circulation of the blood through it, to the discomfort of the wearer, and to the danger of his health. I am aware that this objection has been attempted to be remedied by making the platform and runner both jointed, and by making a ointed platform to be attached to a runner so formed as to spring with the spring of the platform, but in both cases the platform and runner are rigidly secured together. The objection to both these means is that they weaken the runner at the point where its greatest strength is required, rendering it liable to break at the time when the skater is exerting the greatest power for his propulsion, and therefore subjecting lfiillili to the greatest danger of injury from a I do not claim the attachment of a hinged or jointed platform to the runner of a skate, but

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The attachment of a hinged or jointed platform to the rigid runner of a skate where the platform is so connected and attached to the rigid runner as to allow the platform to conform to the spring or movement of the foot of the wearer as herein set forth.

LOREN J. VVICKS.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. CONSTABLE, FRANCIS S. Low. 

